Transport in Spain is characterised by an extensive network of roads, rapid transit, air routes, ports. Its geographic location makes it an important link between Europe and the Americas. Major forms of transit radiate from the capital, located in the centre of the country, to link with the capitals of the autonomous communities. Spanish transit is marked by a high degree of integration between its long distance railway system and inner-city metro systems, although the historic use of broad gauge has limited integration with its neighbours. Spain is working to increase and improve linkage with the rail systems of France and Portugal, including high-speed rail between Madrid and Lisbon. Spain's highway system is developed, with both tolled and free motorways. Air traffic is routed through several international and regional airports, the largest of, Barajas International Airport in Madrid. Spanish railways date from 1848; the total route length in 2017 was 14,781 km Iberian gauge: 11,333 km Standard gauge: 2,571 km Narrow gauge: 1,207 km Narrow gauge: 28 km Most railways are operated by RENFE.
It is proposed to build or convert more standard gauge lines, including some dual gauging of broad gauge lines where these lines link to adjacent countries. A high-speed rail line between Madrid and Seville was completed in 1992. In 2003, high-speed service was inaugurated on a new line from Madrid to Lleida and extended to Barcelona in 2008; the same year, lines from Madrid from Córdoba to Málaga were inaugurated. In 2010, AVE line Madrid-Cuenca-Valencia was inaugurated. Alicante Barcelona Bilbao Castellon under construction. Estimated inauguration 2013. A Coruña under construction. Granada opened in 2017. Jaén finished without service due to political reasons. Madrid Málaga opened in 2014. Murcia opened in 2011. Palma Parla Santa Cruz de Tenerife opened in 2007. Seville Valencia Vélez-Málaga Vigo potential Vitoria-Gasteiz Zaragoza opened in 2011. Andorra – no France – yes/no – break-of-gauge // Portugal – yes, same gauge Morocco – no – proposed undersea tunnel. Break-of-gauge / Gibraltar – no In December 2003, Morocco and Spain agreed to explore the construction of an undersea rail tunnel across the Strait of Gibraltar, to connect their rail systems.
Alta Velocidad Española is a service of high-speed rail in Spain operated by Renfe, the Spanish national railway company, at speeds of up to 310 km/h. The name is translated from Spanish "Alta Velocidad Españolas", but its initials are a play on the word ave, meaning "bird"; as of December 2011, the Spanish AVE system is the longest HSR network in Europe with 2,665 km and the second in the world, after China. AVE trains run on a network of dedicated high-speed rail track managed by Adif; the first line was opened in 1992, connecting the cities of Córdoba and Sevilla. Unlike the rest of the Spanish broad gauge network, the AVE uses standard gauge, permitting direct connections outside Spain. Although AVE trains are operated by Renfe, the Spanish state railway company, private companies may be allowed to operate trains in the future using other brands, in accordance with European Union legislation; some TGV-derived trains do run on the broad-gauge network at slower speeds, these are branded separately as Euromed.
On the line from Madrid to Seville, the service guarantees arrival within five minutes of the advertised time, offers a full refund if the train is delayed further, although only 0.16% of trains have been so. In this regard, the punctuality of the AVE is exceptional compared to other non-long-distance RENFE services. On other AVE lines, this punctuality promise is more lax. A possible reason for this is that AVE services slow down to 200 km/h for the Sierra Morena section of the journey, because of the tight curves, 250 km/h for the Córdoba-Seville section on account of medium-speed services running on the line, meaning that they have an easy means of recovering lost time if held up earlier in the journey; the Ave connects the following cities: Madrid - Valencia Barcelona - Madrid Sevilla - Madrid Ciudad Real - Madrid Tarragona - Madrid Valladolid - Madrid Madrid - Toledo Madrid - Cordoba Total: 681,298 km Expressways: 16,204 km The first-class motorways in Spain are called autopistas and autovías.
As of 2015, Spain had 12,311 km of roads designated as part of the European comprehensive TEN-T network of which 10,636 km are motorways. Bridges accounted for 220 km of tunnels for a further 100 km. There are many national roads. There are 1,045 km of waterways. Gas: 7,962 km Oil: 622 km.
Major Thomas Jones emigrated to Rhode Island from Strabane, in Ireland. There he married Freelove Townsend, daughter of Captain Thomas Townsend, would go on to serve as a privateer, be an influential figure on Long Island. Thomas Jones was born about 1665, he fought in the Battle of the Boyne, at the capitulation of Limerick, serving under William III of England and under James II of Ireland. For this service he attained the rank of Major. Major Thomas Jones emigrated to America where he met and married Freelove Townsend, daughter of Captain Thomas Townsend, while in Warwick, Rhode Island. After that he was outfitted as a privateer and absent for three years, during which time he made many captures, his father-in-law Captain Thomas Townsend moved to Oyster Bay with his daughter Freelove. Freelove Townsend was a woman of great ability. Following Major Thomas Jones death, management of his estates was given over to her, as well as the education of their children, she was baptized in 1702 by the famous George Keith and the Rev. John Thomas, who were sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts.
In 1688 Captain Thomas Townsend had bought of the Massapequa Indians a piece of land at South Oyster Bay, after which he gave it in 1695 "unto Thomas Jones of Oyster Bay, my son-in-law, to Freelove his wife, my daughter." In 1696 Major Thomas Jones built the first house of bricks so far east on Long Island. Thomas Jones was admitted an associate freeholder under the original patent of Oyster Bay, granted by Governor Andros, September 29, 1677. Lord Cornbury, the Governor of New York, commissioned him to be Captain of Militia in Queens County, October 20, 1702. Two years on October 14, 1704, he was appointed High Sheriff of Queens, on April 3, 1706, was made Major of the Queens County Regiment. Governor Hunter appointed Jones the "Ranger General of the Island of Nassau", the legal name referring to Long Island; this commission started September 4, 1710, made him an officer of the Crown, with "Royal rights" or franchises of waifs, hunting, royal fish, treasure trove, deodands and the like. Major Jones died 13 Dec 1713, was buried on a slight elevation on the left bank of the Massapequa.
His tombstone made of hard red sandstone of Rhode Island, bore an inscription written by himself: Here Lyes Interred The Body of Major Thomas Jones, who came from Strabane, in the Kingdom of Ireland, Settled here, Died, December, 1713. From distant Lands to this Wild Waste he came, This Seat he chose, here he fix'd his Name. Long May his Sons this Peaceful Spot Injoy. Judge David Jones, son of Major Thomas Jones and Freelove Townsend, was born 16 Sept 1699, he became Judge of Queens County in 1734, in 1763 was the 2nd Justice of the Supreme Court of New York, where he sat for ten years. Judge and historian Thomas Jones was son of Anna Willet, he was born 30 Apr 1731 at his father's house in Fort Neck. He became Recorder of the City of New York and Judge of the Supreme Court, which office he held until the close of the Revolutionary War, when he was forced to leave the country for England. There, he wrote his History of New York During the Revolutionary War, which recounts: during the Revolutionary War, a party of rebels from New England broke into and plundered his house at Fort Neck in November 1779.
Jones Beach State Park on Long Island is named after Jones
VilaWeb is a Catalan-language web portal and daily news outlet, founded in May 1995 by the journalists Vicent Partal and Assumpció Maresma. It was the first online medium produced in Catalan, the first news media in Spain to be based online. VilaWeb grew out of an online directory in Catalan called Infopista, set up by Partal in 1995, it was designed as a local directory catalan websites. One year Infopista turned into Vilaweb, including new services. Before embarking on this venture, Vicent Partal had been responsible for directing the digital edition of El Temps magazine. Written in Catalan, with the publication of this digital edition in 1994, the magazine was the first media outlet in Spain to establish material and a presence on the World Wide Web. Vilaweb became one of reference news and media channels for Catalan communities online. In 2007 VilaWeb TV opened as a web TV initiative. Nowadays is available on iTunes. In September 2009 VilaWeb opened a newsroom, in downtown Barcelona; the building hosts a space for public events.
In January 2014 VilaWeb started a Global Edition in English, managed by Liz Castro, in June 2017 VilaWeb added an evening print product for subscribers called VilaWeb Paper. VilaWeb Paper is an evening edition, which readers can download on their mobile or tablet. Unlike traditional newspapers, VilaWeb Paper is not available on any newsstands. In 2018 VilaWeb had an audience of around 2.200.000 unique visitors. VilaWeb has been awarded several prizes, including the Premi Ciutat de Barcelona de Periodisme, the Premi Nacional de Periodisme, premi Òmnium Cultural de Comunicació. Vilaweb has been criticized for having a partisan editorial line as a result of being dependent on subsidies and other financial support by the Catalan regional government; the newspaper runs news 24 hours a day. News from several news agencies are available. Ed-op pages in the newspaper consist on a daily article by Vicent Partal and weekly articles from other writers like Marta Rojals, Andreu Barnils, Xavier Montanyà, Pere Cardús or Martxelo Otamendi.
VilaWeb TV presents all the videos produced by VilaWeb. VilaWeb VilaWeb Global Edition Partal, Maresma & Associats, the company behind VilaWeb. VilaWeb TV